Cecil Claudio Underwood

Cecil Claudio Underwood, age 80, of Grants Pass, died Thursday, April 21, 2011 at Royale Gardens Health & Rehabilitation Center.

A private funeral mass was held. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.

Cecil was born September 3, 1930 in San Jose, Costa Rica to Cecil & Felicia Guevara Underwood. He had an adventurous and loving childhood and spent his youth traveling throughout Central America helping his father on his zoological expeditions which are now on display at the National Museum of San Jose. As a young adult he worked for United Fruit Company managing the banana crops at Coto 47 in Costa Rica. In 1957 he moved to the United States. In 1959 he met his future wife, Diane and they were married in 1960. He spent the next 50 years loving her. Together they lived in Santa Clarita, California for 30 years and raised their four children, Kim, Bridget, Cecil, and Dennis. In 1991 Cecil retired and made his final move to Grants Pass, Oregon.

Cecil enjoyed woodworking, gardening, bird-watching, fishing, drawing and harvesting his grape orchard. Cecil was also fortunate enough to be surrounded by his loving grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Wes, Derek, Michael, Austin, Mandy, Warren, Finn, Dimitri, Quinn, and Kenley.

Survivors include his wife, Diane Underwood of Grants Pass, Oregon; four children, Kim Cox and spouse Jeff of Grants Pass, Oregon; Bridget Underwood Erickson and spouse Sundance Erickson of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Cecil Underwood and spouse Amy of Grants Pass, Oregon and Dennis Underwood and spouse Marie of Grants Pass, Oregon; two sisters, Mitzi McLean of Stevenson Ranch, California and Adela Livingston of Las Vegas, Nevada; a brother, Ricardo Underwood of Costa Rica; nine grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Milagro Alvarez.